Check Mate
by Narail
Summary: Ginny returns for her seventh year with Dumbledore gone and Snape being headmaster. How is she going to cope with the Carrows and Voldemort? And who knew Gryffindors could be good at guerilla fighting? Might be D/G later.
1. Chapter 1

**Check Mate**

**Summary**: Ginny returns for her seventh year with Dumbledore gone and Snape being headmaster. How is she going to cope with the Carrows and Voldemort? Might be D/G later.

**Disclaimer**: Sadly enough Harry Potter is not mine, and I have no intent on earning any money with this.

The Hogwarts express was deserted. Ginny noticed it already at the railway station but there the weather had been bright and sunny and her parents had been around, so it hadn't been that obvious. Now it was different. It was raining, the wind was howling and the sun was hidden behind stormy clouds. It didn't help that the girl was sitting all alone, her brother, Harry and Hermione being off on some mysterious quest.

The door slid open. "Hey." Luna entered the small space and slumped down opposite her friend. Her usual bright hair seemed duller, her eyes had lost that extra sparkle and there were no crazy ear rings or attire of clothing. Just plain Hogwarts robes.

Ginny knew better than to ask. The production of the quibbler was stopped right after Voldemorts henchman de facto took over the wizarding world. "How's your father?"

Luna shrugged and stared dreamily out of the window. It took several seconds until she tore her gaze away from the window and looked at her friend. "I spend the rest of the summer with distant relatives in France; I haven't seen or heard from him since they shut the Quibbler down."

Ginny was thinking about anything worth replying when the door slid open again.

"Hey girls." Neville entered, sat his toad down on one of the unoccupied seats and smiled weakly. The two girls nodded acknowledging and Luna resumed staring out of the window.

"You know what?" Neville leaned forward and looked intently at Ginny. "I've been looking through the whole train. There are nearly no seventh years from Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. Surprisingly many Ravenclaws though."

"Who's left? How many sixth years?"

Neville shrugged uncertainly. "Seventh years? Just me, Lavender and Seamus. I have no idea how many sixth years deemed it safely enough to return, I guess we'll get to know that soon." He gestured outside the window; they were just arriving at Hogsmead station.

Neville gently gripped Luna at her shoulder and smiled at her, then helped Ginny into her cloak. "Better get your papers ready."

They deboarded the train together with the other students who had returned. It was still raining and occasional thunder made the younger students jump. "I'm surprised that there are any first years," said Ginny while she entered the queue to have her papers checked. There was no Hagrid around to coach the frightened children.

"Their parents don't have a choice," answered Neville and handed his papers over to a bulky man who looked like he wasn't even able to write his own name. The thug checked the papers, regarded Neville with a mistrustful look and handed them back. It was Luna's turn.

Neville lingered behind to finish his thought. "The parents have no choice but to send their children here if there blood is pure enough. The students missing are either deemed unworthy of a magical education or they decided to run, or both."

"Move!" The thug pushed Neville so he would continue on. Now they at least knew that he was capable of vocalizing one word sentences.

Ginny handed her papers over. She tiptoed and was able to see a big red 'suspected blood traitor' stamped on her papers.

"Weasley?" grunted the man.

His voice made her shiver. She had seen some scary things in her life, was at one point even possessed by Voldemort and it was fairly difficult to scare her. But there was something about the whole situation that made her feel uneasy. "Yes?"

The man snapped his fingers and two more of his sort appeared. They gripped Ginny at her arms.

"What?" demanded the girl. "You think I can't walk? Or are you that afraid of a girl?" She considered kicking them in the shin for a moment.

The two men looked at the one checking the papers as if they were not sure how to continue. The thug turned to Ginny and only now she could see that one of his ears were missing and it looked pretty creepy.

"The headmaster has some questions." So he was able to use more than one word in a sentence. "Go with them."

The young Gryffindor send him her best glares and turned around to follow the two men whom she suspected to be Deatheaters. But she was near enough to hear a familiar drawl say: "You know if looks could kill you'd be pretty dead by now." Ginny tried to look over her shoulder but she was shoved into a carriage by her two charming escorts.

One of them stretched his hand out and looked at her demanding.

Ginny raised an eyebrow and stared right back.

It went on for a little over five seconds until one of them grunted: "Wand."

The Gryffindor wiggled her eyebrows, looked like she was concentrating, thinking about what to do until she shook her head with a big cocky grin. "No. I need that one and you might break it. And if you don't, I'm pretty sure that not even the best cleaning charm could make your germs disappear."

The two men looked at each other until one of them leaned forward and slapped her over the face. Ginny jerked back and put her hand on her stinging cheek. It didn't hurt so much as that it really caught her by surprise. "You are not allowed to do that! When the headmaster…"

"When the headmaster what?" asked one of them. He wore a mean grin on his face when he cracked his knuckles. "You really think nothing has changed, do you? Boy you are in for a surprise."

Ginny decided to settle on a vicious glare.

The ride to the castle took longer than ever. The young girl spent her time looking out of the window wondering about her brother and if at least he was safe.

"Out," grunted the man, his big flashy hand grabbed her at her shoulder and shoved her out. They made their way to the headmaster's office and Ginny was overcome by her memories of Dumbledore. Suddenly she felt really, really alone and scared. And it didn't get better when the door opened and she could see Snape sitting in Dumbledore's chair.

"Who let you in here?" The girl screamed and jerked forward, completely disregarding her intentions of not provoking anyone.

"You dare behave that way?" screeched a high feminine voice before a white slash sliced through the air and Ginny found she was restrained by thick veins slinging themselves around her arms and legs.

Snape waved his hand and the veins disappeared. "Really Alecto, did you think a mere child could harm me?" Ginny didn't know what was wrong with her but hearing Snapes familiar drawl made her feel a little more comfortable.

"I thought I'd just protect our Lords most valuable servant," the female Deatheater sneered. She returned back into the edge where she had been, like a spider that always returns into the shadows. Ginny could distinctly recognize a second person back there.

"Ms. Weasley," drawled Snape and looked at her, seeming way to comfortable in Dumbledore's chair.

"Sir?" asked Ginny in a way that she hoped was respectful enough to not earn her anymore punishment.

"Where is Harry Potter?"

It wasn't as if Ginny hadn't expected something like that. "Why would I know that, Sir?"

"He was your boyfriend, now was he not?" The voice came from the shadows, but this time it was a male one.

"You are right, he was. He broke up with me, that jerk," she tried to sound as despising as possible. She feared though, that she sucked at it.

"Leave me with Ms. Weasley," demanded Snape. "And give me her wand."

After it was handed to him the others left the room.

"You might not know where Mr. Potters whereabouts are, but I am sure he is going to contact you eventually." Snape stared at her intently before playing with a little flask on his desk. "You know what that is?"

Ginny nodded. She could spot Veritaserum from every direction.

"Good. Now just remember that I can use this whenever I want to. There is no more Dumbledore to protect you or anyone else. Bear that in mind will you? Leave now."

And Ginny left, feeling dread upon the upcoming year.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A/N.: Thank you Red Reality, your review really helped me motivate myself to write a new chapter You other readers, please leave a review! Thanks a lot.

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><p>Ginny and all the other sixth and seventh year Gryffindors were sitting in the classroom waiting for their Dark Arts class to start. Because there were so few Gryffindors left they made all the sixth years attend the seventh year classes.<p>

The Slytherins came in, sporting evil grins. They seemed to know something the Gryffs didn't and they were pretty happy about it. Professor Amycus Carrow entered the classroom before the usual more or less verbal fight between the two houses could begin. But the Slytherins didn't have to be disappointed about not getting a shot at throwing insults at the Gryffindors because the professor did it for them.

"Good morning students. I am Amycus Carrow, your new teacher for Dark Arts." He looked at the few Gryffindors. "Interesting. The ministry has been slightly concerned about my request for lab rats, they thought that purebloods shouldn't be subjected to certain… things. But seeing that most of you are either blood traitors or half-bloods I don't share their concerns. Now, I believe that we can only learn how to defend ourselves against curses if we were subjected to them at one point."

"You can't do that!" Ginny blurted the words out before she could stop herself. "You can't use us as lab rats, that's just.." Neville reached forward to stop her from continuing.

The room went deadly silent. Everyone looked at the young girl, waiting for the teachers' reaction. Amycus Carrow made his way to the girl. "Second hand robes and red hair, Arthur Weasleys youngest daughter. Yes, I have heard about you." He motioned for her to get up and the girl complied. The teacher grabbed her arm and dragged her up to the front of the room.

"Now. Today we are going to learn the Flagrare Curse!" He still held Ginny with way more force than necessary. "Now, who of you knows that curse?"

All Slytherins except one raised their hands.

"Mr. Malfoy." Amycus stared at the blonde boy at the back of the room. "Come up to the front."

Few people can manage to get up and look utterly disgusted by doing so. But Malfoy wouldn't have been Malfoy if he couldn't do something like that. "What can I do for you, Sir?" Even the 'Sir' sounded like an insult.

"You know the Flagrare Curse, right?"

"Of course," Malfoy nodded indignantly.

"Go ahead," said Carrow. "Demonstrate!"

Four chairs scraped the floor as Lavender, Seamus, Neville and Colin got up simultaneously but they were not quick enough to intercept Malfoys curse. A red beam fired out of his wand and went straight for Ginny's left tight. The girl collapsed to the floor and lay there writhing in pain.

"Are you out of your mind?" yelled Neville taking out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy.

"One more step Longbottom and I am going to make you watch while everyone is practicing this curse on Miss Weasley here, until each and every one of you has perfected the curse, is that understood?"

It only took a single look at the girl on the floor for Neville to make up his mind. "Leave her be and practice on me!"

The other three Gryffindors said something very similar at the same time.

"Now look at that," commented Amycus while stepping over the girl on the floor without even looking. "All so eager to take her place. I would have expected that kind of behavior from Hufflepuffs, but really, I never saw a real difference between the two houses. Now, Slytherins, what do you say, should we show the friendly Gryffindors here what it means to feel the effects of the curse?"

Ginny watched from the floor as the Slytherins started throwing the Flagrare Curse at her fellow Gryffindors. She also saw Malfoy looking at the spectacle with disgust, withdrawing to the back of the room. Neville's last words from yesterday evening came back to her mind: Together with the Slytherins it's going to be a battlefield and not a classroom.

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><p>"Lay still!" Lavender tried to apply some burning salve to Colin's leg but the boy was ticklish and constantly moved out of the way.<p>

Luna laughed silently. No one really knew how she always got in the common room but they were not going to complain about it. The blonde Ravenclaw was helping her Gryffindor friends with their burn injuries.

"Has anyone seen Smith?" asked Ginny. The young boy, Adrian Smith had been sorted into Gryffindor on the previous day; he'd been the only one. Ginny was feeling comparably fine, her left leg hurt when she walked, but that was it. After Malfoy used the curse on her she'd been left alone.

Neville shook his head. He'd been hurt the most because he'd covered Lavender with his body, making sure to protect her as much as possible. "I haven't seen him since lunch and I am worried for him. I would go and search for him, but well.. I can't."

Ginny smiled at him sympathetically. Neville's burn marks were pretty bad and he wouldn't be able to walk until the ointment was starting to ease the pain. "I'll go."

"Just be careful," called Neville after her. "It's after hours; make sure the Carrows won't catch you."

Ginny waved at them all when she left the room, wishing for the marauders map. It was so much easier to find someone if one knew exactly where to look for him. "Potions," mumbled the girl while she was making her way to the dungeons. Adrian's last class had been Potions. The girl heard something and immediately his behind a butt ugly statue of a middle age witch. Ginny at least hoped that it was a girl; it wasn't really that obvious, especially in the dim light.

"You'd better be careful Drake." Ginny recognized the speaker as Blaise Zabini. "I managed to sneak a look at their letters, and there is a lot of questioning about your loyalties."

"Oh come on." That was the very familiar drawl of one blonde Malfoy. "I did curse the Weasley girl now didn't I? That must count for something."

The cold words made Ginny shiver.

"Yeah right. Just be glad that they don't know you as well as I do, because honestly, you learned that curse when you were like eleven and if you wanted you could have punctured a whole in the she-weasels leg."

Ginny dared to peep out of her hiding place and she could see the two Slytherins disappearing around the corner. She continued her quest to find Adrian, her leg feeling a lot better, simply because she was glad that there was no whole in it.

It didn't take long until she heard soft sobs. Ginny rounded the corner and followed the noise, finally locating a broom closet. She opened the door and cast Lumos, what she saw made her heart break.

The small eleven year old boy hugged his knees to his chest, his eyes blotchy as he looked up. He tried to say something but he couldn't get anything out.

"Shh," whispered Ginny and set down next to the boy. She wrapped her arms around Adrian and hugged him close. "What happened to you?" She had the wits to cast a silencing charm on the room because Adrian's sobbing increased in volume.

"I got lost," answered the boy between hiccups. Ginny thanked God for it, getting lost was far better than running into the Carrows. Her relief was shattered within seconds. "And then I ran into that mean teacher." He shook violently and Ginny pulled him even closer. She patted his head and tried to comfort him somehow.

"I ran away and now I'm afraid that they'll come for me when I get back to the tower." Adrian burrowed his head in Ginny's shoulder and shook with silent tears.

"Mon and Dad told me about Hogwarts. They told me about all the fun stuff they did here and how nice it was. And I know Mum didn't want me to come here, but she really didn't have a chance…" It was not easy for Ginny to understand the boy because he was mumbling into her shoulder.

"Hey." She raised his chin and looked at him. "We'll look out for you. Nothing is going to happen to you, okay? I promise. You know Neville?"

"The one with the big ears?"

Ginny chuckled. "Yes. See, he really looks out for all the Gryffindors, and we will find a way to keep you safe!" Neville had already checked if everyone had safely arrived back in the tower because he felt responsible for the younger students.

Adrian swallowed hard and nodded. Ginny smiled at him and helped him up. Now all they had to do was getting back to the tower without getting caught.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

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><p>None of the Gryffindors liked Dark Arts. But they absolutely despised Muggle Studies. In Dark Arts they at least had a chance to curse a Slytherin real good, and they were getting better at every time. But Muggle Studies... two hours of listening to Alecto Carrows going on about the inferiority of Muggles was more than anyone could stand. Every student with the least bit knowledge of muggle culture knew that most of the stories told were utter nonsense. Neither did Muggles eat their children, nor did they love living in holes beneath the ground.<p>

Ginny had feared that she would be picked on as much in muggle studies as in Dark Arts, but it didn't happen. She was the favorite victim for curses being demonstrated on in Amycus Carrows class; strangely enough it was always Malfoy who was asked to perform the curses. Ginny wasn't surprised at that; it seemed like Malfoy never took part in the mass slaughter that took place afterwards. And every time since she had overheard him talking to Blaise in that corridor her intestines twinge when he came to the front of the class to curse her. She wasn't sure if she was just imagining it, but in her opinion her curse wounds seemed less severe than those of others.

Not so in Muggle Studies. Alecto varied between Neville: „There is so less magic in you boy that I can only wonder why you are a pure blood. Muggles must have switched their baby with the wizard child; they do that all the time..." and Colin. "I have no idea why the blood testers deemed you worthy of coming here, you are practically a Muggle. You can all see how less favorite they appear when you take a good look at Mr. Creevey here..."

The Gryffindors had learned to live with it. They could simply tune the teacher out and use their time to think about an upcoming essay or test. It usually went well, but Ginny's temper had always been her biggest problem. And the more evil the Carrows were the less she cared for her own safety. But strangely enough, every time she was ready to burst with a comment that would definitely earn her some form of punishment someone cast a silencing charm on her. She greatly suspected Neville.

The bell rang and everyone jumped out of their seats. The Slytherins did so with a lot more dignity but with the same enthusiasm. Even though they weren't subjected to the same verbal abuse as the Gryffindors were, they knew that sitting in that class was a waste of their time.

On top of that Alecto was not a very creative person and the jokes about Gryffindor house and its students were not so funny after being told for the hundreds time.

"Lunch," sang Ginny. It was a good day. Friday was the only day when they didn't have Dark Arts and even though her whole body was covered in bruises she felt a lot better without an upcoming lesson looming over her. Three Dark Arts free days were coming and Madame Pomfrey had announced loudly that she would have to go into the Forbidden Forest and that she needed the older Gryffindors to help her find the herbs she desired to get.

The Gryffindors had been banned from the infirmary as long as they were not suffering from a life threatening injury, and they knew that Madame Pomfrey would help them that way. Ginny had been thinking about why some of them were still allowed at Hogwarts at all. Colin for instance was a muggle born and he had been allowed back. After some thinking she discovered that everyone who was still here without being a pure blood was someone who was either close to Harry or who had parents who were a pain in Voldemorts butt. In truth, they were hostages. And that's why they could be beaten up, but not killed, because there is no use for dead hostages.

The Gryffindors sat down at the table they now shared with the Hufflepuffs because there were so few students left in those houses. About 20 Gryffindors and double as much Hufflepuffs had remained at Hogwarts.

"Mum said that the food here was delicious, but I think she suffered from illusions." Adrian allowed some of the not identifiable brown mush to drop from his spoon. He then tried a bit, paled and shoved it away from him. "No way will I eat that." He looked a lot better than the older Gryffindors and Ginny was once again thankful that only fifth years and above had Dark Arts.

Ginny smiled and handed him some bread. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws were feasting on the well-known delicious food the Houselves prepared. Not so at the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff joint table. Luna had once tried to bring some of the delicious food from her table to Ginny and she was now forbidden from going to that table. Her eye was still swollen and only healing slowly, Madame Pomfreys charms hadn't been able to help much.

The Gryffindors only travelled in packs. They were free after lunch and Neville, who had grown into a leader quite quickly and naturally, decided to lead them all to the room of requirement. However the Carrows managed to stop them before they could leave the great hall, Professor McGonagall in tow.

"Adrian Smith?" asked Alecto Carrow, her raptor like eyes settled on the young boy and Ginny could swear that it was her squeaky voice that was responsible for the never ending headache she was experiencing.

The small boy began to tremble next to Ginny and she put her hand on his shoulder. It didn't help much.

Alecto Carrow seemed to have no patience left; she grabbed the boy at his arm and dragged him away. Ginny looked pleadingly at her head of house and McGonagall gave a curt nod before hurrying after the Carrows.

Neville stared at the retreating forms and sighted. "There is nothing we can do, come on."

They found and entered the RoR (Room of Requirements) without troubles. The RoR presented itself as a spacey room with huge pillows, long rows of books and fancy objects whose use still had to be determined; everyone took a seat and looked expectantly at Neville.

"In my fifth year we had to deal with Umbridge and we did so lead by Harry Potter," began the boy. "In my sixth year we fought off an army of death eaters, again with Harry. But today Harry is not here and we have encountered a new enemy. An enemy more dangerous than ever. It is not only the Carrows, or the Slytherins throwing curses in our way. We face dissention. If we start to tell on our friends, classmates, if we can no longer be sure whom to trust there is no hope left for us. There is no golden trio to take care of us today. There is no way that a single person can save our necks. Today it is our day, our time to prove that we are Gryffindors in heart and soul. Together we can stand up to every evil thrown in our way. Together we can survive!" his voice had grown louder and more determined with every word and a shocked silence covered the room for a few long seconds until everyone began to clap loudly.

Ginny smiled. She was so proud of Neville, if there was someone who could lead them, who had the strength to keep fighting, it was him.

"The DA was a start but now we have way more to do. We have to learn how to heal, how to fight and how to stay under the Carrows radar. Who is with me?"

Loud cheers followed and hands were raised.

Neville smiled proudly and sat back down. "Here's what we do. We'll meet right here every evening and on the weekends. Ginny, you were always good at healing charms; try to learn everything you can. The RoR has generously provided us with reading material. Colin, can you whip up a system to observe the corridor leading to the RoR? We have to know who lingers around here and when it is safe to move. I'm pretty sure you can create something with your cameras and magic?"

The young sixth year nodded solemnly.

"Lavender, please help Ginny with the healing charms. You have an aptitude for beauty charms and they are quite similar sometimes. You others, I'm sure you have already noticed how much our shield charms have improved within the last week. In here we will work on our curses and protection spells until we are ready to seriously kick ass!"

The others cheered and laughed loudly. "Go Neville," yelled Ginny pumping the air with her fist. Neville send an appreciative smile her way. "What about the other houses though?"

Neville shrugged. "We can ask some Hufflepuffs we know and trust, but I am not so sure about the Ravenclaws. I mean, there has to be a reason that they are treated equally to the Slytherins, right?"

"It is funny that no one ever notices. There are nearly no half-bloods or muggle-borns in Ravenclaw. Most students take great pride in their family name and blood status. You'd be surprised about how many of them are eagerly awaiting to serve the Dark Lord after graduation." Luna shrugged when everyone looked at her.

"What are you doing here?" asked Neville dumbfounded. "How did you get in here? Is it really that bad in Ravenclaw?"

Luna smiled dreamily. "It turns out when I appear normal no one seems to notice me," was her reply. "I saw you all leaving and decided to follow you. And it's not really bad in Ravenclaw, because everyone there is more studious than downright evil. But I guess for being brainiacs they don't question the Dark Lords propaganda enough. I mean seriously, he's a half-blood, how can he know anything about blood status? Anyway, I hope I can stay."

Ginny and Neville shared a quick look and the girl shrugged. "You've been an honorary Gryffindor for far too long, how could we deny you to be here?"

The blond girl smiled happily and squeezed Ginnys hand. Ginny looked at her friend and noticed that a bit of their usual sparkle had returned. And with it hope returned as well.

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><p>Red Reality: I'm happy you like my Draco. There will be more of him in the following chapters, as soon as the Gryffindors have established a routine of underminig the Carrows when ever possible :-)<p>

veronica21: Thank you very much for your review. I checked the first two chapters and found some of those mistakes you are referring to, I will correct them as soon as I find the time to do so. I did double check this chapter though, and I'm sure there are some mistakes left, but I hope that they wont spoil the fun. I hope you can enjoy this chapter as well.


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